مضَىpassed عَصْرُthe age of الرِّجَالِthe men الأَعَاظِمِthe great
مضَى عَصْرُ الرِّجَالِ الأَعَاظِمِ
وَأَوْحَشَand grew desolate مِنْهُمْwithout them أُنْسُthe familiar warmth of تِلْكَthose المعَالِمِlandmarks
وَأَوْحَشَ مِنْهُمْ أُنْسُ تِلْكَ المعَالِمِ
The age of great men has passed.
The age of great men has passed,
And the warmth of those landmarks has grown forlorn without them.
And their company seemed more desolate than those ruins.
معَاهِدُinstitutes فِيin بَيْرُوتَBeirut لِلعِلْمِfor learning عُطُّلَتْwere left bereft
معَاهِدُ فِي بَيْرُوتَ لِلعِلْمِ عُطُّلَتْ
وَأَيَّمُهَاand their days كَانَتْwere بِهِمْwith them كَالمَوَاسِمِlike festivals
وَأَيَّمُهَا كَانَتْ بِهِمْ كَالمَوَاسِمِ
Institutes of learning in Beirut stand bereft,
The institutes of science in Beirut were suspended,
And their days with them were like festivals.
Whatever season it was, they were like seasons.
تَوَلَّواthey departed سِرَاعاًswiftly كَاتِبٌa writer إِثْرَafter كَاتِبٍa writer
تَوَلَّوا سِرَاعاً كَاتِبٌ إِثْرَ كَاتِبٍ
وَبَانُواand they departed تِباعاًin succession عَالِمٌa scholar إِثْرَafter عَالِمِa scholar
وَبَانُوا تِباعاً عَالِمٌ إِثْرَ عَالِمِ
They departed swiftly, writer after writer,
Writer after writer hastily turned away,
And went away in succession, scholar after scholar.
And scholar after scholar disappeared.
فَوَاah, then حَرَّthe burning of قَلْباًa heart أَيْنَwhere فِيهِمْamong them مُهَذِّبِيmy mentor
فَوَا حَرَّ قَلْباً أَيْنَ فِيهِمْ مُهَذِّبِي
وَأَيْنَand where رَفِيقِيmy companion فِيin الصِّبَاyouth وَمُخَالِمِيand my intimate friend
وَأَيْنَ رَفِيقِي فِي الصِّبَا وَمُخَالِمِي
Ah, my burning heart! Where among them is my mentor?
Alas, what burning in my heart! Where are my refined friends?
And where is my companion in youth, my intimate friend?
And where is my companion of youth and intimates?
عِمَادٌpillars بِصَرْحِin the edifice of المَجْدَglory قَامُواthey stood فَقُوِّضُواthen they were pulled down
عِمَادٌ بِصَرْحِ المَجْدَ قَامُوا فَقُوِّضُوا
دِرَاكاًin rapid succession وَدُكَّand was razed اليَوْمَtoday آخِرُthe last قَائِمِone standing
دِرَاكاً وَدُكَّ اليَوْمَ آخِرُ قَائِمِ
They stood as pillars in glory's edifice, then were pulled down,
Pillars of glory they stood up and so were demolished,
In swift succession; and today the last standing pillar was razed.
As the last pillar falls today.
هَوَىfell العَلَمُthe luminary الفَرْدُpeerless الَّذِيwho كَانَwas بَعْدَهُمْafter them
هَوَى العَلَمُ الفَرْدُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَعْدَهُمْ
عَزَاءًa solace لأَرْبَابِfor possessors of النُّهَىintellect وَالعَزَائِمِand resolve
عَزَاءً لأَرْبَابِ النُّهَى وَالعَزَائِمِ
The peerless luminary has fallen, who after them had been
The unique banner of knowledge that was after them
A solace to men of intellect and resolve.
Fell, consoling the people of resolve and determination.
أُقَلِّبُI turn طَرْفِيmy gaze حَيْثُwhere كَانُواthey were فَلاbut do not أَرَىsee
أُقَلِّبُ طَرْفِي حَيْثُ كَانُوا فَلا أَرَى
بِهِthere غَيْرَother than أَنْقَاضِthe ruins of الذُّرَىsummits وَالدَّعَائِمِand pillars
بِهِ غَيْرَ أَنْقَاضِ الذُّرَى وَالدَّعَائِمِ
I turn my gaze to where they were, but see nothing
I turn my eyes where they were but I see
There but the ruins of summits and pillars.
Nothing but the remnants of homes and pillars.
وَأُنْكِرُand I deplore فِيin وَجْهِthe face of البَقَاءِenduring existence عُبُوسُةًa frown
وَأُنْكِرُ فِي وَجْهِ البَقَاءِ عُبُوسُةً
تُوَارِيveils سَنَىthe radiance of تِلْكَthose الوُجُوهِfaces البَوَاسِمِsmiling
تُوَارِي سَنَى تِلْكَ الوُجُوهِ البَوَاسِمِ
And I deplore a frown on the face of existence,
And in the face of survival I see moroseness
Veiling the radiance of those smiling faces.
That hides the features of those smiling faces.
حَقَائِقُrealities مَرَّتْpassed بِالحَيَاةِthrough life هُنَيْهَةًbriefly
حَقَائِقُ مَرَّتْ بِالحَيَاةِ هُنَيْهَةً
كَمَاas مَرَّتِpassed الأَوْهَامُillusions فِيin ذِهْنِthe mind of وَاهِمِone imagining
كَمَا مَرَّتِ الأَوْهَامُ فِي ذِهْنِ وَاهِمِ
Realities passed through life for a brief moment,
Realities passed swiftly through life,
As illusions passed through an imaginer's mind.
As fantasies passed through the mind of a dreamer.
فَلَمْso did not يَبْقَremain مِنْهَاof them غَيْرُanything except مَاwhat الذِّكُرُmemory حَافِظٌpreserves
فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا غَيْرُ مَا الذِّكُرُ حَافِظٌ
إِلَىfor أَجَلٍa limited time عَنْof عَهْدِهَاtheir era المُتَقَادِمِlong past
إِلَى أَجَلٍ عَنْ عَهْدِهَا المُتَقَادِمِ
So nothing of them remains but what memory preserves
Nothing remains except what memory has retained
For a time, of their long-past days,
Of their ancient times.
وَرَسْمand a portrait يَرَىsee الأَعْقَابَposterity فِيهِin it دَلالَةًevidence
وَرَسْم يَرَى الأَعْقَابَ فِيهِ دَلالَةً
عَلَىof دِقَّةِthe precision of التَّمْثِيلِportrayal فِيin صُنْعِthe work of رَاسِمِa painter
عَلَى دِقَّةِ التَّمْثِيلِ فِي صُنْعِ رَاسِمِ
And a portrait in which posterity sees evidence
And a painting in which the beholders see
Of precise portrayal in a painter's work.
Signs of the painter's precise portrayal.
إِذَاif جَسَّمُوهُthey embody it لَمْnot يَكُنْit is فِيin جَلالِهِits grandeur
إِذَا جَسَّمُوهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي جَلالِهِ
سِوَىexcept شَبَهًa likeness لِلشَّخْصِof the person أَغْبَرَdusty قَاتِمِdark
سِوَى شَبَهً لِلشَّخْصِ أَغْبَرَ قَاتِمِ
If they embody it, for all its grandeur it is nothing
When embodied, his majesty was naught
But a dusty, dark likeness of the man.
But a resemblance to a gloomy, dark figure.
يَلُوحُit appears بَعِيداًfar away وَهْوَthough it is دَانٍnear كَأَنَّهُas though it were
يَلُوحُ بَعِيداً وَهْوَ دَانٍ كَأَنَّهُ
تَأَوُّبُthe return of طَيْفٍa phantom فِيin مَخِيلَةِthe imagination of حَالِمِa dreamer
تَأَوُّبُ طَيْفٍ فِي مَخِيلَةِ حَالِمِ
It appears far away though near, as though it were
He appears from afar, humbled, as though
A phantom's return in a dreamer's imagination.
The specter in the imagination of a dreamer.
فَيَاoh, then بَخْسَthe undervaluing of مَاwhat بَاعَsold المُفَادِيthe self-sacrificing man بِعُمْرِهِat the cost of his life
فَيَا بَخْسَ مَا بَاعَ المُفَادِي بِعُمْرِهِ
عَلَىto بَاذِلٍa giver فِيamong قَوْمِهِhis people أَوْor مُسَاوِمِa bargainer
عَلَى بَاذِلٍ فِي قَوْمِهِ أَوْ مُسَاوِمِ
Oh, how undervalued is what the self-sacrificing man sells at his life's cost
Oh what a loss, what the deserter sold his life for
To a giver among his people or a bargainer!
To a giver among his people or a bargainer.
عَلَىdespite أَنَّهُthat he يَسْتَسْلِفُborrows in advance from النَّفْسَthe soul شُكْرَهُhis thanks
عَلَى أَنَّهُ يَسْتَسْلِفُ النَّفْسَ شُكْرَهُ
وَلَيْسَand he is not لِشُكْرٍfor thanks مِنْfrom سِوَاهَاanyone other than it بِرَائِمِa seeker
وَلَيْسَ لِشُكْرٍ مِنْ سِوَاهَا بِرَائِمِ
Yet he borrows his thanks in advance from his own soul,
As if he borrows life to thank it
And seeks no thanks from any other.
While none but it can be thanked.
نَعِيُّكَthe news of your death عَبْدَAbd (servant of) اللهِAllah (God) فِيin الشَّرْقُthe East كُلِّهِall of it
نَعِيُّكَ عَبْدَ اللهِ فِي الشَّرْقُ كُلِّهِ
أَسَالَmade flow شُؤُوناًtear ducts بِالدُّمُوعِwith tears السَّوَاجِمِstreaming
أَسَالَ شُؤُوناً بِالدُّمُوعِ السَّوَاجِمِ
The news of your death, Abdullah, throughout the East
Your death, O Abdullah, in all the East
Set tear ducts flowing with streaming tears.
Brought about calamities with pouring tears,
وَأَوْرَىand kindled زِنَادَthe flints of البَرْقِlightning حُزْناًin grief فَلَجْلَجَتْso they stammered
وَأَوْرَى زِنَادَ البَرْقِ حُزْناً فَلَجْلَجَتْ
كَمَاas لَجْلَجَتْstammered بِالنُّطْقِin speech لُسْنُthe tongues of التَّرَاجِمِinterpreters
كَمَا لَجْلَجَتْ بِالنُّطْقِ لُسْنُ التَّرَاجِمِ
And kindled lightning's flints in grief, so they stammered,
And the lightning was saddled with grief, so it crackled
As interpreters' tongues stammered in speech.
As the journals crackled with speech.
فَبَثَّso poured out شَجَاهُits grief كُلُّevery رَبْلٍleafy tree وَلَمْand not يَكُنْthere was
فَبَثَّ شَجَاهُ كُلُّ رَبْلٍ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ
سِوَىbut مَأْتَمٍa mourning assembly تَعْدَادَthe tally of تِلْكَthose المَآتِمِmourning assemblies
سِوَى مَأْتَمٍ تَعْدَادَ تِلْكَ المَآتِمِ
So every leafy tree poured out its grief, and there was nothing
So it spread its flames; every group wailed
But one mourning, however many those mourning gatherings were.
And it was nothing but a funeral, equal to those funeral gatherings.
وَشَاعَand spread الأَسَىsorrow فِيthrough مِصْرَEgypt فَهْيَso she is حَزِينَةٌgrieving
وَشَاعَ الأَسَى فِي مِصْرَ فَهْيَ حَزِينَةٌ
تَنُوحُlament شَوَادِيهَاher singers نُوَاحَthe lament of الحَمَائِمِdoves
تَنُوحُ شَوَادِيهَا نُوَاحَ الحَمَائِمِ
And sorrow spread through Egypt, so she is grieving;
And sorrow spread in Egypt, so it is grieving,
Her singers lament with the lament of doves.
Its plains wailing the wailing of doves.
وَلاand no وَجْهَface فِيin أَحْيَائِهَاher quarters غَيْرُother than سَاهِمٍdowncast
وَلا وَجْهَ فِي أَحْيَائِهَا غَيْرُ سَاهِمٍ
وَلاand no قَلْبَheart فِيwithin أَحْنَائِهَاher folds غَيْرُother than وَاجِمِsilent with grief
وَلا قَلْبَ فِي أَحْنَائِهَا غَيْرُ وَاجِمِ
And no face in her quarters is anything but downcast,
No face in its neighborhoods but frowning
And no heart within her folds is anything but silent with grief.
No heart in its corners but anguished.
لَكَfor you اللهُGod مِنْas بَانٍa builder رِجالاًmen حَمَىhe guarded بِهِمْthrough them
لَكَ اللهُ مِنْ بَانٍ رِجالاً حَمَى بِهِمْ
حِمىًa sanctuary عَاثَwrought havoc فِيهِin it الجَهْلُignorance مِنْas شَرِّthe worst هَادِمِdestroyer
حِمىً عَاثَ فِيهِ الجَهْلُ مِنْ شَرِّ هَادِمِ
God be with you, builder of men, who through them guarded
May God provide you men who protect
A sanctuary where ignorance, that worst destroyer, ran riot.
A protected realm where ignorance ran rampant with destruction,
عَلَىto العِلْمِlearning وَالتَّعْلِيمِand teaching أَرْصَدَhe devoted وَقْتَهُhis time
عَلَى العِلْمِ وَالتَّعْلِيمِ أَرْصَدَ وَقْتَهُ
فأَحْرَزَso secured مِنْهُfrom him مَغْنَماًa bounty كُلّevery غَانِمِbeneficiary
فأَحْرَزَ مِنْهُ مَغْنَماً كُلّ غَانِمِ
He devoted his time to learning and teaching,
To science and teaching he devoted his time
Thus every beneficiary won a bounty from him.
So he gained spoils, every victor.
تَلامِيدُهُhis pupils فِيin كُلِّevery مَطْلَعِrising-place of كَوْكَبٍa star
تَلامِيدُهُ فِي كُلِّ مَطْلَعِ كَوْكَبٍ
يَبُثُّونَthey spread فَضْلَthe excellence of الضَّادِḍād (the Arabic tongue) بَيْنَamong العَوَالِمِthe worlds
يَبُثُّونَ فَضْلَ الضَّادِ بَيْنَ العَوَالِمِ
His pupils, wherever a star rises,
His students in every emerging star
Spread the excellence of the tongue of ḍād among the worlds.
Spread the abundance of knowledge between the worlds,
وَفِيand in كُلِّevery بَحْثٍinquiry كُتْبُهُhis books تُورِدُlead to water النُّهَىminds
وَفِي كُلِّ بَحْثٍ كُتْبُهُ تُورِدُ النُّهَى
مَوَارِدَwatering places أَصْفَىpurer مِنْthan نِطَافِthe droplets of الغَمَائِمِclouds
مَوَارِدَ أَصْفَى مِنْ نِطَافِ الغَمَائِمِ
And in every inquiry his books lead minds
And in every research, his books provide guidance,
To springs purer than the droplets of clouds.
Clearer than the drizzle of clouds,
وَتَهْدِيand bestow إِلَيْهَاupon them مِنْfrom مَنَاجِمِthe mines of فِكْرِهِhis thought
وَتَهْدِي إِلَيْهَا مِنْ مَنَاجِمِ فِكْرِهِ
نَفَائِسَprecious things أَغْلَىdearer مِنْthan كُنُوزِthe treasures of المَنَاجِمِmines
نَفَائِسَ أَغْلَى مِنْ كُنُوزِ المَنَاجِمِ
And bestow upon them, from the mines of his thought,
And they carry to it from the mines of his thoughts
Precious things dearer than the treasures of mines.
Rarities more precious than the treasures of mines,
بِأَبْدَعِwith the most wondrous مَاwhat كَانَتْwas بَلاغَةُthe eloquence of نَاثِرٍa prose writer
بِأَبْدَعِ مَا كَانَتْ بَلاغَةُ نَاثِرٍ
وَأَبْرَعِand the most masterful مَاwhat كَانَتْwas صِيَاغَةُthe crafting of نَاظِمِa poet
وَأَبْرَعِ مَا كَانَتْ صِيَاغَةُ نَاظِمِ
With the most wondrous eloquence a prose writer ever had,
With the utmost elegance of a prose writer
And the most masterful crafting a poet ever achieved.
And the greatest artistry of a poet.
كَفَىsufficed for اللغَةَthe language الفُصْحَىclassical فَخَارَpride بِمُعْجَمٍthrough a dictionary
كَفَى اللغَةَ الفُصْحَى فَخَارَ بِمُعْجَمٍ
إِلَيْهِin it انْتَهَىculminated الإِتْقَانُperfection بَيْنَamong المَعَاجِمِdictionaries
إِلَيْهِ انْتَهَى الإِتْقَانُ بَيْنَ المَعَاجِمِ
A dictionary was pride enough for classical Arabic,
The Arabic language it perfected, so with his lexicon,
In which the craftsmanship of dictionaries reached its height.
Precision was attained between lexicons.
وَحَسْبُand sufficient for الرِّوَايَاتِthe novels الحَدِيثَةِmodern عِتْقُهَاtheir nobility
وَحَسْبُ الرِّوَايَاتِ الحَدِيثَةِ عِتْقُهَا
بِإِعْرَابِهِthrough his Arabic rendering فِيهَاwithin them فُنُونَthe arts of الأَعَاجِمِnon-Arabs
بِإِعْرَابِهِ فِيهَا فُنُونَ الأَعَاجِمِ
And modern novels have nobility enough
And the recent transmissions, their manumission
Through his rendering foreign arts into Arabic within them.
By his elocution in them, the ways of foreigners.
فَأَمَّاthen as for سَجَايَاهُhis qualities فَقُلْthen speak فِيof كَمَالِهَاtheir perfection
فَأَمَّا سَجَايَاهُ فَقُلْ فِي كَمَالِهَا
وَلاand do not تَخْشَfear فِيin الإِطْرَاءِlavish praise لَوْمَةَthe blame of لائِمِa faultfinder
وَلا تَخْشَ فِي الإِطْرَاءِ لَوْمَةَ لائِمِ
As for his qualities, speak of their perfection,
As for his traits, say about their perfection
And fear no faultfinder's blame for lavish praise.
And fear no blame for praise from critic.
حَلِيمٌforbearing بِلاwithout ضَعْفٍweakness رَصِينٌdignified بِلاwithout وَنىًslackness
حَلِيمٌ بِلا ضَعْفٍ رَصِينٌ بِلا وَنىً
شَدِيدُstrong of مِرَاسٍmettle فِيin كِفَاحِthe struggle against المَظَالِمِinjustices
شَدِيدُ مِرَاسٍ فِي كِفَاحِ المَظَالِمِ
Forbearing without weakness, dignified without slackness,
Forbearing without weakness, resolute without bending,
Unyielding in the struggle against injustices.
Firm principles in combatting injustices.
وَمَاand as long as اسْطَاعَhe could يُلْفِيهِwould find him الغَدَاةَin the morning وَلِيُّهُhis friend
وَمَا اسْطَاعَ يُلْفِيهِ الغَدَاةَ وَلِيُّهُ
مُعِيناًhelping عَلَىin دَفْعِwarding off الأَذَىharm وَالمَغَارِمِand financial burdens
مُعِيناً عَلَى دَفْعِ الأَذَى وَالمَغَارِمِ
And whenever he could, his friend found him in the morning
What his patron could not address in the morning,
Helping to ward off harm and financial burdens.
Helping to repel harm and sins,
يُصَرِّفُhe directs إِلاَّexcept فِيtoward الدَّنَايَاbase things مِنَamong المُنَىdesires
يُصَرِّفُ إِلاَّ فِي الدَّنَايَا مِنَ المُنَى
نَوَازِعَthe impulses of قَلْبٍa heart مُولَعٍenamored بِالعَظَائِمِof great things
نَوَازِعَ قَلْبٍ مُولَعٍ بِالعَظَائِمِ
He directs—never toward base desires—
He only disposed in the worldly affairs
The impulses of a heart enamored of great deeds.
The repulsions of a heart enamored with greatness,
وَيُرْضِيهِand satisfies him فِيin الإِعْسَارِpoverty مُوْفُورُthe fullness of مَجْدِهِhis glory
وَيُرْضِيهِ فِي الإِعْسَارِ مُوْفُورُ مَجْدِهِ
وَلَيْسَand he is not إِذَاif الإِيسَارُprosperity فَاتَpasses him by بِنَاقِمِresentful
وَلَيْسَ إِذَا الإِيسَارُ فَاتَ بِنَاقِمِ
And his abundant glory satisfies him in poverty,
And in poverty he was satisfied with his abundant glory
And he is not resentful if prosperity eludes him.
And if prosperity was missed, he was not fault finding.
قَضَىhe spent العُمْرَhis life مَيْمُونَblessed in النَّقِيبَةِcharacter لَمْnot تُشَبْwas tainted
قَضَى العُمْرَ مَيْمُونَ النَّقِيبَةِ لَمْ تُشَبْ
طَهَارَةُthe purity of بُرْدَيْهِhis two cloaks بِوَصْمَةِby the stain of وَاصِمِa defamer
طَهَارَةُ بُرْدَيْهِ بِوَصْمَةِ وَاصِمِ
He lived out his life, blessed in character; never was tainted
He spent a praiseworthy life; the purity
The purity of his two cloaks by a defamer's stain.
Of his integrity was not tainted with a blemish.
وَلَمْand did not يَأْلُspare جُهْداًany effort فِيin رِعَايَةِkeeping ذِمَّةٍa covenant
وَلَمْ يَأْلُ جُهْداً فِي رِعَايَةِ ذِمَّةٍ
وَلَمْand did not يَنْسَforget حَقاًa duty لِلعُلَىto greatness وَالمَكَارِمِand noble virtues
وَلَمْ يَنْسَ حَقاً لِلعُلَى وَالمَكَارِمِ
And he spared no effort in keeping a covenant,
He never wearied of observing his covenant
And forgot no duty owed to greatness and noble virtues.
Or forgot the rights of the exalted and benevolent.
أَحَاطَتْsurrounded بِهِhim زِينَاتُthe adornments of دُنْيَاهُhis world فَانْثَنَىbut he turned away
أَحَاطَتْ بِهِ زِينَاتُ دُنْيَاهُ فَانْثَنَى
وَلَمْand did not تُغْرِهِtempt him زِيناتُهاits adornments بالمحَارِمِinto forbidden deeds
وَلَمْ تُغْرِهِ زِيناتُها بالمحَارِمِ
The adornments of his world surrounded him, but he turned away,
The adornments of his world engulfed him, so he recoiled
And its adornments did not tempt him into forbidden deeds.
And he was not tempted by its adornments to prohibition.
فَكَانَتْso it was لَهُfor him خَيْرُthe best الفَوَاتِحِbeginnings بِالتُّقَىthrough piety
فَكَانَتْ لَهُ خَيْرُ الفَوَاتِحِ بِالتُّقَى
وَكَانَتْand it was لَهُfor him فِيin اللهِGod خَيْرُthe best الخَوَاتِمِendings
وَكَانَتْ لَهُ فِي اللهِ خَيْرُ الخَوَاتِمِ
So through piety he had the best of beginnings,
So for him were the best openings with piety
And in God he had the best of endings.
And for him with God were the best endings.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.